The coin you want vs. the coin you can afford

Ehhhhh, maybe. When I first read the title what I expected was something along the lines of - I want an MS65, but I can only afford an XF.

There are virtually countless examples of that happening. And because of the cost involved and an individuals personal circumstances, they may well never, ever, be able to afford the 65. But that won't ever stop them from wanting one. This situation, while not exactly the same, is similar.

My suggestion was more one of expanding your horizons, looking around, and maybe finding a pattern the design of which the person liked every bit as much as the original one they wanted, and maybe even more, but for a fraction of the cost. Thus making it affordable.

It's kind of like the guy who dearly loves chocolate ice cream. But when he goes to the ice cream shop and orders some - he is told they are out. So, he tries strawberry for the first time in his life. Once he tastes it, his reaction is - OMG this is good !!

It's the same thing with coins, how do you know what you will like, or how much you will like it, if you have never looked at it ?

For example, I always loved Saints when I collected US coins. But the ones I always wanted were so far out of my reach that I couldn't ever even dream of owning one. But then one day I switched over to collecting world coins. After a time, this coin came along -




Now here was a coin that was 10 times as rare as the Saints I always wanted. It was the finest known example in existence at the time. It had 100 times the history that any Saint could ever have. And yet the Saints I always wanted would have cost me 20-30 times what this coin did.

I found out that I just absolutely loved strawberry

 

Oh if you only knew how many people have said to me - and then did

'Course I gave them, shall we say, gentle nudges along the way

edit - I tried to fight it, but the devil won

 

I will of course echo everyone's advice regarding saving up and exercising patience when it comes to a coin you want. I have always said that patience is second only to knowledge in this hobby. And that patience is usually the hardest virtue there is to acquire when it comes to coins.

But, it is still important to recognize that sometimes a given coin will forever be out of your reach, or at least have a very high probability of forever being out of your reach. And when such a thing is recognized, that is the time to expand your horizons.

 

Obviously, you have looked at the bi-metal multiple times. Do you have some coins you examined only when you bought them, and never since?

If you do have coins you paid too little for, but give little attention to, they likely will bring little when resold and, because you got little enjoyment from owning them, will have paid you no dividends of any kind.

I think you and medoraman both understood my point, which is to prioritize your spending toward those coins you know you will admire repeatedly, versus those which seem too cheap, but aren't truly special to you.

- Mike